The Lovereading4Kids comment

When Dr. Henry Jekyll dares to explore the delicate balance between good and evil, he little suspects the destructive powers he will unleash. Gripping and scary it will send shivers down your spine.

This and the other retellings by Real Reads are a fantastic way to introduce young children to some of the best-known and best-loved classics; beautifully presented and skilfully retold (and condensed – 64 pages in total) and illustrated, they are true to the original plot, capture something of the flavour and tone of the original work, while simplifying the narrative and dialogue. They’re primarily aimed for younger readers – 8-13 year olds but are also a great ‘quick fix’ for teenagers and adults.

Real Reads will develop a confidence and enthusiasm in some Classic literature and perhaps even to address the original, something that is nurtured in the ‘Taking Things Further’ section of every Real Read. For others, who might never have tackled the originals, Real Reads make accessible great stories, great characters and important moral debates which they might otherwise never have encountered.

To take a look at the other classic novels published by Real Reads click here.

Perfect for Reluctant Readers as well as keen readers. To view other titles we think are suitable for reluctant readers please click here.

Synopsis

Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde by R L Stevenson - retold by Peter Crowther

In London's respectable society, Jekyll's friends grow concerned. Why has Jekyll suddenly changed his will, and what is his connection with the frightening Mr. Hyde?

In London's squalour, a child is trampled and an elderly gentleman brutally murdered. Why do all fingers point towards Mr. Hyde?

In this exploration of two sides of Victorian London and two sides of human nature, the conflict between good and evil has been given a terrifying twist.

About the Author

Robert Louis Stevenson was born to Thomas and Margaret Isabella Balfour
Stevenson in Edinburgh on 13 November 1850. From the beginning he was
sickly. Through much of his childhood he was attended by his faithful
nurse, Alison Cunningham, known as Cummy in the family circle. She told
him morbid stories about the Covenanters (the Scots Presbyterian
martyrs), read aloud to him Victorian penny-serial novels, Bible
stories, and the Psalms, and drilled the catechism into him, all with
his parents' approval. Thomas Stevenson was quite a storyteller
himself, and his wife doted on their only child, sitting in admiration
while her precocious son expounded on religious dogma. Stevenson
inevitably reacted to the morbidity of his religious education and to
the stiffness of his family's middle-class values, but that rebellion
would come only after he entered Edinburgh University.